Blind Cat's Bluff
by KermodeSnowBear
Summary: Circumstances were certainly different now. Everything was now viewed a different way. Every experience hinged on a single moment when he had felt invincible. In that moment he was anything but, and the price was almost too much.
1. Not Invincible

Chat Noir caught his Lady by the waist, pulling her quickly away from the hole that appeared in the pavement at her toes. The asphalt eroded in a lop sided circle.

"Don't want you tripping on acid, My Lady," Chat joked as he sped away from the scene, akuma hot on his tail and a bug in his arms.

"Now is not the time, Kitty," Ladybug told him off as she reached for her yo-yo, swinging it in circles to their side. She wrapped an arm tightly around Chat Noir's neck.

"Hold on now," she said and sent her weapon zipping through the night air to latch onto a chimney and it pulled them up to the roof tops.

Chat Noir tightened his hold on Ladybug and was pulled up with her. The pair landed easily, Chat letting Ladybug go and they looked back down at the akuma. It had turned its attention on some unsuspecting civilians that quickly become victims.

The akuma had turned its hulking, liquid mass towards the group. Yellows and reds swirled across its membrane-skin and it reared its head back. It spat at the people, covering them in clear liquid that quickly began to burn them, dissolving their clothing and skin.

Chat Noir peered over his Lady's shoulder and cringed. "That's basically torture," he said quietly. A red hand shot out and slapped against his chest.

"It wasn't a pun, I swear!" Ladybug only gave him a tight glare.

"Not everything I say is a joke, okay? I wouldn't joke about that," he ended while motioning towards the ground. Ladybug nodded dully and opened her yo-yo to call emergency services.

"More acid victims, gardens on George street," she spoke quickly. "We'll lead the akuma away, you go help them." She was about to end the call when a tinny voice spoke.  
"We can't take anymore, Ladybug. All ambulances are out and hospitals are filling up. Those people will have to wait. We need you to stop this thing now!"

"You can't leave them! They are suffering and you just... You can't do that!" Ladybug's voice was shrill as she almost screamed into the communicator.

The akuma below spun, its fluid head turned to look up at the two heroes when it heard Ladybug's outburst. It was moving quickly then. The akuma's body stretched and became a flowing river of acid that soared into the sky towards Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"That is some serious acid re-flux," Chat Noir whispered in awe and Ladybug was pushing him away.

They were running again, leaping from roof to roof to lead the acidic akuma away from as many people as possible. Their original plan had been to get it as far away as possible and they were still trying to do as such. It was hard as the akuma kept stopping to splutter its acid spit over any person or creature it saw.

There were always people in the way, no matter the copious news reports that told everyone to stay indoors and let the professionals do their work. They all wanted to see the heroes bounding down their street to defeat yet another evil creature. Someone always got hurt, and most of the time Ladybug's cure worked to fix any damage, but there had been the occasional instance where someone had gotten hurt for another reason while trying to watch or keep up and they blamed the duo. No matter what good they did, there was always someone blaming them.

Ladybug stopped on the roof of a store to see where the akuma was. She screamed and managed to dodge the monster as it dove against the roof top, its body slamming into the tiles and it flowed out towards the her.

Ladybug swung away from the dissolving building, the store becoming nothing more than a hole in the ground within seconds. She perched on another building and searched for Chat Noir frantically. He dropped down at her side.

"Didn't know they were having a liquidation sale, did you?"

Ladybug opened her mouth to respond but it quickly turned to a curse as acid covered the slate beneath their feet.

"Shi-itake!" she screamed out the half swear and the two flew off again, trying to outrun the akuma.

"Acid what you did there, my Lady!" Chat Noir crowed from her side with a huge grin plastered to his face.

"This isn't time to joke, Chat!"

"Honestly, this whole situation is just melting my heart."

"It'll melt your skin if you're not careful!"

"Don't scald me for my puns!"

"What are we going to do?" Ladybug changed the subject as they continued to try and outrun the akuma. "We can't even get close to it, let alone touch it to find the akumatised item!"

"You always come up with something, my Lady. Always!" Chat Noir gave her a thumbs up and looked ahead. "That sports park! No one around, perfect!"

Ladybug nodded and sped up. She found herself swinging from the trees that lined the park instead of buildings and they skidded to a halt in the center of a field.

Ladybug and Chat Noir stood side by side, both were panting and anxious. Chat glanced at the expression on Ladybug's face. He knew she was worried, this had to be one of the harder battles they'd had. Battles were never easy but this was taking its tole on the girl and he could easily see it, she was so confused.

"You know, I was thinking a chemistry joke would help the akuma calm down," he said, wanting to cheer her up as the creature loomed into the park. Ladybug shot him an expression that read of her confusion tri-fold. The akuma flooded towards them. It slithered through the grass, burning everything it touched but in the darkness there wasn't much to notice.

"Thing is, I don't think I'd get a reaction," he smirked and his shoulders shook in quiet laughter. His laughter soon died and a scream erupted from his throat.

Ladybug spun to see acidic rivulets reaching towards them and a smoking liquid dripping from Chat Noir's face. He didn't stop screaming.

Chat Noir dropped to the ground with hands covering his face, lips parted in a sound that would never leave Ladybug's dreams.

Fix this, fix him.

Ladybug squared her shoulders and forced a deep breath into her lungs. Her yo-yo spun and launched upwards into the night.

"Lucky charm!" Ladybug shouted into the heavens and in an array of red and white hearts a canister of oven cleaner fell into her hands. That had to be the worst charm ever! Ladybug was already frantic and distraught and this only caused further confusion.

The akuma formed before her, the blob of acid becoming a large ball with arms and legs, colours swirling within it. It spat at her, Ladybug quickly swinging her yo-yo into a shield and protecting herself and the screaming Chat Noir from any further harm. The ricocheting bullets of acid hit near by trees and caused them to melt into the ground.

"Oven cleaner is alkaline!" came a voice that Ladybug had never heard before. She turned to try and find the new person but only saw a flash of black pass her eyes. Small and cat-like.

"Kwami?" Ladybug focused on it, still fending off further attacks. The small creature floated in front of her. She searched out Chat Noir, finding the blond young man in white and black and jeans, still writhing in pain.

"Yes!" it screamed at her. "Throw it! Don't you pay attention in science class? The akuma is acid, the cleaner is alkaline! Boom! Now throw, you stupid bug!"

Ladybug didn't waste another moment and ripped the top from the canister and threw it at the akuma. White powder flew from it and floated down over the creature.

She didn't wait to see if it worked and turned away to run towards Chat Noir and scoop him up into her arms. Once more they were running. She ducked behind a small group of trees.

With Chat laying on the ground at her feet, she spoke to the Kwami as she opened her yo-yo. "Go find water, a water fountain or something. We need to wash his face." It left without a word.

She glanced back at the akuma as it was shrinking to roughly the size of a person, still bulbous and liquid. Now it wore a long white coat. It must have been hidden in all the liquid, she thought and dialed the emergency services once again.

"Ladybug, we can't take any more, we told you," the line operator said as soon as they connected through their direct line.

"One more, okay? Just this one! I've nearly got it!'

"We can't. Important people only, miss."

"What? What kind of policy is that?! Everyone is important!"

"You know what I mean. I'm sorry I can't help you."

"He's important to me, isn't that enough?"

The black cat Kwami returned, a ball of floating water following it. He let it splash across Chat Noir's face and it drenched into his hair and clothes.

"No, miss. Unless they are important to the city then we can't currently help. Too many people need help."

The Kwami was talking to him and pushing past his hands to try and wipe away the acid. Chat's hands fell away from softly tanned, bubbling skin and flaming red-raw cheeks, lips twisted in pain. Ladybug's heart stopped. The Kwami was throwing blobs of acid off to the side, it wasn't hurting him but his charge's face was grotesquely twisted into agony.

"Miss, are you there? Ladybug, I'm sorry." The voice tore her away from Chat's features. She was breathing hard when she replied.

"Adrien Agreste," she whispered with howls of pain in the background. "Is that important enough for you?"

She didn't wait for an answer, closing her yo-yo. They could track it...if they would help her.

"I'll be right back," she whispered to the Kwami behind her. "Look after him."

With that, she was running back into battle with her weapon at the ready, swinging and dodging, wearing the monster down and tiring it while she searched for a way to destroy the coat while not touching the acid. Soon she was behind the creature in a moment of its confusion, she dashed in. She ripped the coat from its form to tear it in two with all of her built up rage and inner turmoil.

The black butterfly appeared just as it should and Ladybug plucked it from the sky with her yo-yo to purify it. She found the empty canister of oven cleaner and threw it into the air, hardly able to choke out her cure as she was already running back to Adrien and his Kwami, magic already settling around them.

"What's wrong? Why didn't it work?" she screamed to a halt and fell to her knees beside her partner who still had his eyes sealed tightly and burnt skin peeling away from his face. "Kwami, why didn't it work? The Cure cures! It should have helped him!"

Ladybug was frantic and she grabbed at Adrien's hands. His fingers clung to her and he tried to choke out her name. Tears were running down his cheeks and Ladybug was soon crying too.

"He was Chat Noir when he was hit," came the voice of his Kwami by Ladybug's ear. "He was Adrien when you cured everything. The magic didn't recognise him." His voice was somber and full of emotional pain.

Ambulance sirens sounded in the distance.

"Why did you leave him?" Ladybug asked softly, only able to conjure a hoarse whisper. She was brushing the hair back from Adrien's face and making soft noises to calm him.

"Didn't mean to, so much pain... His body couldn't comprehend it so it got rid of something else that wasn't meant to be there. I'm sorry."

The apology seemed strange from the Kwami. Ladybug looked across at it and saw that it was crying too.

"Not your fault," she whispered as paramedics tore across the grass. No, it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's but her own. Chat Noir may be her shield, but Ladybug was his and she had failed.

She kept hold of Adrien's hands as the medical crew fussed over him. He didn't want to let go, she could tell as they lifted him away from the ground and Ladybug was dragged to the ambulance with him. Up until now she'd been ignoring the beeps from her earrings but as she stood by the back doors of the van they caught her attention.

She bent down to whisper in his ear. "You probably wont hear me but I am so sorry. I'm going to find a way to help you, I'll do anything. I'm really sorry, Adrien."

His fingers tightened around hers and it was like he'd gripped onto her heart. She was still crying as they loaded him into the ambulance and took him away.


	2. By His Side

Marinette paced across the wooden floor boards of her room. Her entire body was stiff and all she wanted to do was cry!

"It's been over a week!" she called out to no one in particular and threw her hands into the air. She had been filled with worry and guilt the entire time that her life had basically come to a halt. School work wasn't being done and she'd gained numerous detentions for not handing in assignments or not paying attention. The bakery had only suffered when her parents asked her to help. Marinette's mental state had caused customers to pile up, orders wrongly filled or forgotten entirely. She had hardly slept, only naps when her body forced her to and she passed out.

She hadn't been patrolling the city. She couldn't. The idea of becoming her alter ego once more was riddled with guilt, filled with memories of him and her last images of his convulsing form.

"I know how you feel, Marinette," Tikki said as she flew up and sat on the girl's shoulder. "Maybe you should try and see him."

"Yeah! Go see him so I can go back!" The black cat Kwami floated down to sit next to Tikki.

He'd followed her home that night, claiming that a hospital with so many civilians and an unconscious Miraculous wielder was not a good place for a tiny magical god to be. Marinette and Tikki had agreed, and Plagg had plagued them for the last nine days. He slept with Tikki and demanded cheese and was loud and sarcastic but they all knew he was suffering the most.

"I can't, guys," Marinette sighed and fell onto her chaise, laying down. The two Kwamis found their way to sit on her chest. "They wont let me in. You heard them. 'No friends allowed, his father's wishes.' I can't believe that! I can't believe he wouldn't let Adrien see his friends! Nino was so hurt." Just the memory of Nino's expression that day had pulled at her heart.

"I just want to see him. See that he's okay with my own eyes, you know?" There had been news reports online of his recovery. He'd awoken two days after the battle. There were many speculations, but no one knew much at all.

"Why'd you have to be friends with him? If you didn't say friends then you'd be in there," Plagg grumbled from his place. Tikki reached out a hand and patted his shoulder.

"It doesn't work like that," she said kindly. "They meant any civilian. I bet it's only his father and his staff that get to see him."

The cat Kwami groaned and fell backwards with a huff. "Stupid civilian girl."

"Hey! I'm trying! It's not my fault they wouldn't-" Marinette sucked in a breath, sitting up so quickly that she sent the Kwamis flying into the air. They caught themselves and Tikki floated back towards her charge. Plagg remained in place, still grumbling.

"What is it Marinette?"

"I'm a civilian," Marinette explained with a grin.

"Duh?"

Marinette ignored Plagg's sarcasm and kept talking to Tikki. "I'm a civilian, but Ladybug is a hero. Ladybug isn't his friend. Ladybug saved his life."

Tikki's glistening eyes widened in glee, even Plagg seemed caught up in the idea.

"Think it could work?" the girl asked, hope pooling into her chest.

Ladybug strode through the halls of the hospital. Eyes watched her from every direction. Their expressions were a mix of awe and shock.

The front desk had said fifth floor and so that's where she went with Plagg hidden in a polka-dotted messenger bag that Marinette had planned to use for herself. Well now it was Ladybug's, at least until there were a few more around made by fans. It wouldn't take long.

The red suited hero approached the front desk of the burns ward, glowing with confidence. Inside she wanted to run, hide and cry. It had take several nudges from the two Kwamis to get her inside the hospital. Even now she felt guilty being in her suit without Chat Noir by her side when he lay in hospital.

"Hello. I'm here to see Adrien Agreste," she said smoothly to a young woman sitting in front of the computer. She didn't look up.

"Sorry miss, but Mr. Agreste isn't seeing anyone at-" Ladybug cut her off by clearing her throat pointedly. She finally looked up.

"La-Ladybug!" Marinette just nodded. "Ri-right! Right!" She began to search through files on her computer. "Mr. Agreste is in room thirty four. Down that hall and turn right at the end. Let me get someone to escort you." She was reaching for the phone by her side.

"It's fine," Ladybug said quickly. "I'm sure I can find it just fine."

"Okay then, but I'll just call his security, let them know."

"Thank you, probably a good idea." She gave a small nod and turned down the hall the receptionist had pointed. She didn't need to find the numbers on the doors as a security guard stood outside one way down the end. As she approached the room, the guard opened the door and spoke into the room most likely announcing her arrival.

"Miss," he nodded and held the door open for her. Ladybug ducked in and the door was closed behind her.

It took her a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. She felt Plagg fly out from her bag but he too was stopped short.

All blinds were closed, barely any light was being let in. It was a private room, only a single bed sat in the middle. A blond young man sat cross legged atop stark white sheets.

He smiled, giving a tiny wave and Ladybug's heart stopped. Tears prickled at her eyes as she realised that he couldn't see her. White bandages and gauze covered his eyes and forehead, wound around his head. Ladybug's tiny gasp was what broke the silence.

"I know it's a bit of a shock," Adrien said and his hand slipped across the back of his head. She knew it was his personal tick when feeling awkward. He was still smiling.  
"No! No, no no, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... I'm sorry," Ladybug ended in a whisper and she slowly moved towards the bed.

"It's okay," Adrien said again. "I'm surprised they let you in, Marinette. I heard you guys tried to come in the other day and I was so upset when they wouldn't let you in. Did the others come?" He was still smiling. Ladybug was forced to admire how strong he was being. She was smiling too as she stood next to him. She was about to open her mouth to tell him they weren't with her when his words sunk in. Marinette.

"H-how did y-you know? You can't s-see." she stammered. "How d-do you k-know it's me?" She stood by him in her Ladybug suit, Plagg zipping around her head, panicking.

"Well now I definitely know it's you now," he said and his grin widened with a light chuckle. "You smell like cookies and you're stuttering. You always do."

"Oh." It was all she could manage to say and she slumped into the visitor's chair that sat by the bed. "That m-makes sense I guess."

"Yeah. So how did you get past my guard?"

Ladybug breathed in deeply and shook away her surprise.

"That's a secret," she said with a laugh. She could imagine Adrien rolling his eyes at that.

"Of course it is. I know you didn't sneak in, he said I had someone coming. It was really nice of you to come see me, Marinette."

"She didn't have a choice!" The annoyed voice filled the room as the little black Kwami cut into their conversation with impatience. "I made her."

"Plagg?" Adrien didn't have a chance to say anything else as the Kwami flew into his chest and into a hug that Adrien gladly gave him. Ladybug sunk lower into her chair as she watched the two reunite. She knew how hard to it could be, she'd been separated from Tikki before. A day had been torture. She couldn't dream of how these two felt after nine.

Plagg was crying and sobbing and complaining that Marinette didn't have expensive cheese. Adrien's shoulders were jerking silently and she could see he was crying without tears on show.

"How do you have Plagg, Marinette? I lost him when I was hurt. Do you know?" Ladybug listened to his swirling questions.

"I- ah... I was there, Adrien. A-and wh-when you were taken a-away he was still there and said the hospital w-was a bad place for him b-because you couldn't c-care for him so I took him home with me and... You know the rest. He complained about cheese until I brought him here."

Adrien was chuckling, still holding his Kwami close. "That sounds like Plagg."

"What's that meant to mean?"

"Nothing Plagg," Adrien and Ladybug said at the same time. They laughed easily together.

"I know what he is, who you are," Ladybug eventfully said once their laughter died away. "B-but you don't h-have t-to worry. I wont tell anyone."

"Thanks, Marinette," Adrien said, she could hear the apprehension leave his voice. He relaxed, he trusted her.

"Anything f-for you, A-Adrien."

"Speaking of things for Adrien!" Plagg spoke up and flew away from his charge. He dipped into Marinette's bag and hefted a bunch of flowers out with obvious effort. He flew them over to Adrien and let them fall into his lap. Adrien laughed and picked them up. He began to run his finger tip over the petals.

"I got flowers for you!"

Ladybug cleared her throat.

"Fine, we got you flowers, but I picked them out," huffed the Kwami and flew to sat on Adrien's shoulder.

"What kind are they?" the blond asked softly.

"Poppies," Ladybug answered.

"I like poppies. Colour?"

"Plagg told me. Some black, some red."

"Favourite colours," he smiled. "Plagg?"

Ladybug hummed gently. "We were walking here and he flew right out of my bag into a florist. There were people everywhere! I followed him in and he was fluttering around the flowers like a damn ladybug until he found the right ones."

She didn't tell him how Tikki had joined him and she had to keep the shop keeper busy while the two Kwamis took over the store, or how Tikki was chomping away at petals here and there.

Adrien's laughter was contagious and Ladybug couldn't help but join in.

They laughed and talked for a long time after that. Marinette filled him in on what he'd missed (sans the actual work) at school, including how mopey the entire class had been. Adrien seemed touched at that. He told her stories of the nurses antics and the jokes they had each morning. The stories and laughter continued until a nurse knocked on the door and poked her head in.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug. But visiting times are over." Ladybug cursed internally.

There was a long moment of silence before Adrien spoke up.

"I'd like her to stay longer, if that's okay."

"I know, Mr. Agreste, but visiting hours-"

"I think we could extend them for the heroine of Paris, don't you?"

Ladybug didn't speak, she was in shock. Plagg had hidden behind Adrien but she could see him from her place. His expression mirrored her own.

"I'll tell the matron she left earlier then, shall I? I didn't see her at all."

The door was closed then with a soft click. The only sounds now came in the from of breaths, some even, and some sharp.

"Ladybug, huh?" Adrien eventually asked her.

As colour drained from her cheeks, confidence drained from her mind. She let out a tiny squeak of a yes, unable to form words.

"Explains how you had Plagg," Adrien said slowly. "Also how you got in here. Guessing you're in uniform."

"Y-yeah, I am," Marinette whispered.

"You don't have to be scared, Mari. It's not like I'd tell anyone."

"That's n-not... I umm... Sorry. I didn't m-mean to lie t-to you."

"It's okay, I understand. I was terrified when you told me you knew. I was sure that... Come here." He shuffled on the bed and made room for her. Marinette slipped from the chair and cautiously sat beside him. His arm hovered over her shoulders and when she didn't protest he hugged her gently. Her entire body became jelly under his touch and she fell against his frame. Adrien gave a little chuckle.

"You know, I always thought you might be afraid of me. I was worried. But you've just got anxiety problems, right? I mean I do. Everyone does."

She nodded into his shoulder, suddenly very glad he couldn't see her. That thought pulled at others. She had to know.

"Adrien, c-can you see anything?" she asked against his pajama shirt. He stiffened under her. Marinette was quick to try and take back her words, stuttering and apologising, shaking and twisting her hands in her lap.

"No," he said and reached down to take her hands, be it for her comfort or his own he didn't know. "No, I can't see. I most likely wont. The scaring on my skin in healing well, my father has a plastic surgeon lined up, so I'll still look like I did. But no, my eyes aren't going to heal, Mari."

Marinette let his words sink in. She let her face drop into her hands, still clasped by Adrien's. She was shaking again and openly crying. It was her fault, all of it. The akuma attacking him, not being able to heal him, ending up in hospital and now...  
Adrien hugged her closer. He rubbed his head against her cheek.

"Don't blame yourself, my Lady. We both knew the dangers of the job when we started-"

"But I should have been able to cure it!" Marinette cut in around sobs. "I'm meant to help make you better and I couldn't. This is all on me, and I can't fix it! I've tried... Tikki and Plagg and I have tried so many things and none of it worked. None of it..." she dissolved into tears again and Adrien hugged her close. He tried to comfort her as best as he could, soft touches and gently noises, ones he remembered she'd done for him the last time he'd seen her. When he'd last seen.

He was bitter, there was no denying it. He'd relied so heavily on his sight that he'd taken it for granted like so many people around him. How would he learn? How would he work? There were at least ways for him to continue school, but work? All expression came from the eyes, passion wasn't something that could be Photoshopped. What of his duel life as Chat Noir? How would leaping from roof to roof at midnight work without sight, enhanced by cat magic or not? Would he have to give up all of that?

In one burning moment his world had been torn and thrown away, there was no getting it back. Independence, abilities, esteem had been ripped away in that single moment of torturing agony as he writhed on the ground with his Lady whispering above him. Now all that remained were memories, and memories faded. Adrien could barely remember his mother's voice and if it weren't for her photos, he doubted he'd remember what she looked like. Would he forget her too? Would he forget his Lady's features as well?

He could hear Marinette's breathing slowly becoming more even as she forced herself to calm down.

"I don't blame you for anything, Princess," Adrien said in a voice just above a whisper. Marinette stiffened in his hold once more before she slumped against him.

"I blame me," she replied.

"Then I forgive you, my Lady." He pressed a soft kiss against her hair. "You know I'm resilient, resourceful. I can get through this. And if I have you then I can do anything."


	3. His Green Eyes

"This is harder than defeating Papillon," Ladybug complained as she glared hard at the homework set out between the pair.

"What is it?" Adrien asked and listened carefully to her explaining the math problem. It was late afternoon and Ladybug had slipped into the hospital room through the window after school. The nurses had seen her in there many times before but they all said nothing. They knew how lonely it was for Adrien and the hero wouldn't hurt him. They mostly let them be, sometimes a little extra food was even on Adrien's tray come the evening meal.

"That still makes no sense," Marinette grumbled as she scribbled in her book. A nurse was currently checking on Adrien's charts to see his progress, not that there was much to check. He was probably there to see Ladybug, a few had done the same from time to time.

"You didn't carry those," the nurse mumbled over Marinette's shoulder and pointed to the numbers hanging around the top of the printed equation.

"Oh. Thank you, Mark" she replied, glancing at his name badge and began to write. She had so much to catch up on in her weeks of guilt and self loathing that Adrien had offered to help where he could, and his help was great for the most part.

"So with those, the answer I have is x equals seven. That seems really low."

"No," Adrien said with a smile. "That's correct. Need me to explain it again?"

"No thank you," she grumbled once more and slumped. "I hate math, it's hard and I doubt I'll ever need to know the value of some ridiculous unknown letter."

"Depends what you want to do after school," Mark spoke up. Marinette looked over at him where he leaned against the wall, arm crossed and smiling.

"Easy. Design fashion. I don't need math for that."

"Measurements, sizing, book keeping," he was counting off on his fingers as he talked.

"Then I'll keep you two for that, wont I?" Ladybug grinned and let a small giggle escape from behind a gloved hand. Laughter stopped when Adrien spoke up, his head tilted to once side.

"Nathalie's outside. She doesn't know you've been here and I'm not allowed visitors. Hide," he said. As he spoke they all heard the sharp clacks of heals coming up the hallway outside. Ladybug jumped from the bed and quickly dashed inside the small bathroom. She tugged the door closed and sunk to the floor as voices reached her ears.

"Hello, Adrien," came the clipped voice of the Agreste assistant.

"And doctor. What are you doing?" Ladybug cursed silently, realising that she had left her homework sitting in plain sight on Adrien's bed.

"Nurse, actually. And Adrien said he was bored and missing school. My own daughter is in the same grade so I made some copies of her homework and we're going through it together," Mark said quickly, hopefully saving the woman who sat in the bathroom, inches from Nathalie.

"How do you expect him to be able to do that?" Criticism marred each word.

"He reads them for me and I work them out in my head. Keeping my mind active." Adrien was studious and curt, his words were almost as refined as Nathalie's and despite knowing how much different he could be, Marinette was shocked to actually hear him in such a monotone. Nathalie hummed in understanding before continuing to her reason for being here.

"I convinced your father that some friends might be a good idea for you. Short visits, only once per day. It could help speed up your recovery and get you into surgery sooner. You can have two-"

"Three," Adrien cut her off quickly. "Three friends, I know who."

"Your father said two," Nathalie didn't seem to budge.

"Three, please Nathalie. We both know that Father wont know if you don't tell him."

"If he comes to visit you and sees-"

"He wont, you know that," Adrien said. He wasn't monotone anymore. Ladybug could hear the sadness that poured from his lips. "He hasn't visited me in two weeks, he's not going to until he has to." There was a long silence, tension found its way into Marinette and Adrien alike. Eventually the assistant spoke, her words filled with a deep sigh.

"What are their names, and where can I find them?" Adrien was partying on the inside but only smiled at her. A rustle of paper, the scratch of a pen and Nathalie was taking names.

"Marinette, Nino and Alya. Mark here can help me text them. No need for you to worry about that, Nathalie." The woman gave a small nod, without realising he wouldn't see it. Mark stooped to Adrien's ear to explain the movement to him.

"If he's here then he can read this to you," Nathalie said and there was a booklet handed over to Mark. "People to help with you...situation. There are multiple choices so I'd like you to look over them and let me know by tomorrow so I can set things up for you. Have a good evening, Adrien."

She was gone in that moment. Her heals could be heard quickly stepping down the hallway. Marinette slipped out of the bathroom and glanced through the blinds before sitting down.

"She didn't seem happy to be here," Ladybug said. "Thanks for the save."

"No problem," Mark replied. "I've got to get back to work, LB can help you with all that, right?" The two nodded and the nurse left them for the evening.

"I don't think she knows how to feel. She's scared," Adrien said when the two were alone. "I understand."

"You're being so strong for other people," Marinette replied softly. "You know you don't have to hide things around me, right?"

Adrien shot her a grin, teeth gleaming. He never answered her.

Her scent hit his nose first. It was quickly becoming his personal way to identify people.

"Do you think it's a miraculous thing that I know it's you from down the hall?" Adrien asked, avoiding explaining how exactly he knew. Not too many people would be accepting to know he could smell them in such a way. He guessed it was Plagg that was heightening his senses, black cat magic taking its affects on him. A light breeze circled the room, she hadn't closed the door behind her.

Marinette let out a small laugh as she approached the hospital bed. She brushed her un-gloved fingers over her friends hand. Adrien nodded slightly at the silent gesture, communicating to him which identity she currently held.

"You may have known about me, but did you notice the others?" Adrien lifted his face away from Marinette's direction out of habit. He focused and heard shallow breaths, poised bodies on edge in the door frame.

"Nino?" he asked in a gleeful state of shock. "Alya?"

"Dude! You're alive!" Nino rushed in past Alya and launched himself at Adrien to pull the blond into an uncharacteristic hug. Adrien returned the embrace with just as much enthusiasm. He felt light tremors run under his friend's skin as he held him, was he crying? Adrien bowed his face into Nino's shoulder and the two remained that way until Nino decided his masculinity was at stake. He coughed as he pulled away, heat radiated from his cheeks and Adrien smiled to himself. He ran a hand up Nino's arm to find his back, giving his bro a good pat.

"There is nothing more gay than straight guys," Alya laughed as her hand came down on Adrien's back in a friendly slap. The blond grinned up at her.

"Got that right," Marinette mumbled to her bestie and took up her now favourite place to sit at the end of Adrien's bed with feet folded beneath her. Alya sat in the single visitor chair and Adrien shuffled up the bed close to Marinette so Nino could sit by the pillows.

"I'm allowed to miss my bro, dudes," Nino spoke up bashfully. A moment later a soft item landed in Adrien's lap, thrown from Nino's direction. He picked it up and ran his fingers over the short faux fur.

"A stuffed toy?" he asked with a laugh, still investigating the toy. The head felt large and almost cartoonish compared to the body, a stunted snout with plastic nose and button eyes, pointed ears... He ran his fingers down its short body to find a long tail. "It's a cat," Adrien said, beaming from ear to ear. "Of course it's a cat!"

"Nino's idea. Marinette made it," Alya spoke up. "I was the emotional and financial support. Honestly until Mari said, we had no idea how much you really liked cats. Nino was thinking of a bear."

Adrien's cheeks were on fire. In all his years this was the single greatest gift he'd ever gotten. He could feel the tiny stitches sewn by hand, hear the soft movement of stuffing inside as he squashed it between gentle hands- "Meow!" Ha! They'd even made him a voice box! He squished the toy again. "That was clawsome!"

"He's black," Marinette said from over Adrien's shoulder. "His paw pads are green, so are his eyes. Same colour as yours. It took so long to find velour that matched buttons that also matched you and still felt nice against the faux fur," she added with a light giggle.

"You guys are clawsome!" Adrien whooped with laughter. He shifted so he could pull Marinette into a hug; the others were too far out of his range at that point. "You guys are really great friends, the best." He held a fist up towards Nino, the other quickly returning the gesture.

"I have to know, boo," Alya said and her eyes narrowed in on her best friend. "When did you stop stuttering around His Royal Highness Agreste? You haven't even blushed! What's up with that?"

"Royal Highness Agreste?" Adrien asked as he felt Marinette tense up in his arm.

"Can we do the integrating another time, Alya?" Marinette asked quietly. "Like, never."

"Alya's got a point," Nino said. "Adrien is redder than you."

"What's going on? You haven't seen each other for nearly two months and suddenly you're hugging!"

Adrien let his arm fall away from Marinette slowly. The girl wasn't speaking.

"Alya and I were totally freaked out the first two weeks, dudette. It was like you were just somewhere totally different."

"Somewhere totally different..." Alya mulled over the words as her eyes became wider and wider. "You were here! That's why you were suddenly so happy! How? I thought he wasn't allowed to see anyone!"

"Alya, calm down okay?" Adrien said in a smooth voice and began to try and hush her. "Yes, Marinette snuck in. But no one else can know about that."

"So are you guys a thing?" Nino asked, entirely confused. He'd tried to follow the conversation back and forth but so much had been left out in assumptions and theories.

"What? No!" Marinette piped up in a voice that squeaked. "He needed a friend, and I found out so I...very quietly came to see him a few times."

"How the hell did you find out something like that, girl?"

"Well, I was talking to-"

"Quiet," Adrien interrupted the girls. "Someone's coming."

The trio were quiet, a few moments later there was a sharp knock and the door opened. Two women walked in, shorter one in scrubs and the other in trousers and uniform shirt.

"One doctor, one nurse," Marinette offered to Adrien quietly.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Agreste," the doctor spoke in clipped tones. "And his friends. Would you all mind stepping outside for a little while," it wasn't a question.

"They can stay," Adrien said quickly before the others had a chance to move. "I don't mind if they stay, please."

"We're taking off your bandages, Adrien," the nurse said softly. "You might not want your friends here for this."

"I really do. It's not like I have my father here for support, is it?" Adrien cracked a small, sad, lop sided smile.

"Very well. Don't make any fuss," the doctor replied with a small sigh. She was checking over his charts as the nurse came forward. With soft and gentle fingers she started to unravel the bandages around his eyes.

Adrien ran his hand across the sheets beside him, searching for Marinette. His fingers hit her knee and he traced up the denim, intent on finding her hand for comfort. Fingers interrupted his searching; Marinette curled both of her hands around his, gently squeezing.

The soft gasp came from Alya as the last of the bandages and gauze fell away. Adrien tried to blink away the fuzziness, his eyes had been closed for so long they'd grown crusty around the edges. He lifted his free hand to wipe at them before the nurse stopped him. She pressed a soft, warm cloth to his face and he winced at the pain that rippled over his skin. Adrien tightened his grip on Marinette's hands.

"Where's the pain, Adrien?" the doctor asked as she took over the nurse's place. She stopped and began waving a small light in front of the blond's eyes.

"My skin," he replied. "Around my eyes, where she cleaned. It's stopped now."

"Good," came the quick reply and the doctor tilted his head up. "That would just be your skin healing. It will hurt for a while after the accident, and then after your surgery next week, but the recovery time for that wont be as long. Can you see the light, Adrien?"

"Surgery?" Nino questioned quietly, looking at the two girls.

"Pretty boy surgery," Adrien replied with a grin. "No, maybe? Okay, yeah I can see some light I think. It's just... not as dark."

"His father has booked plastic surgery so he can look like he did before," Marinette explained quietly to Nino.

"Good, about what we expected then." The doctor backed away and wrote something down on Adrien's charts. "There will be more tests tomorrow, after your eyes have had time to rest and breathe tonight. We will also confirm you for surgery. Did you have any questions"

Adrien shook his head.

"Good. You're healing well. The nurse will help clean you up. Have a good evening." A few skids of sneakers and a click of the door, the doctor was gone. The nurse left soon after, having helped to clean where bandages had laid.

"Be honest, guys," Adrien said once they were alone. "How do I look?"

"Like an akuma threw up on you," Alya replied with sass to her voice. Marinette stiffened in guilt, but only Adrien noticed with his grasp still on her.

"It looks better than when you were attacked," Marinette offered quietly. Alya shot her a questioning glance but it was ignored. "Your skin is less red now though it doesn't match your natural skin tone yet. You're usually apricot but the new skin is kind of shell? Looks like a crinkled taffeta and polyester blend." She frowned slightly.

"It's okay," Adrien laughed at her description after her moment of silence. "Not sure about the other two but I understand."

"Bloody designers," Nino muttered in a mocking way.

"Bloody models," Alya joined him.

"What about my eyes?"

"Your pupils didn't really react when the doctor was here, but they look fairly much the same," Marinette said numbly. His appearance had shocked her, not that she'd tell him. The smeared skin looked like it had been melted against his face. It spread everything and caused his cheeks to almost fall flat. The shape of his eyes became elongated, lids drooping slightly. His eyes looked blank, staring at nothing. There was no spark or recognition.

"The same green as before. You're still gorgeous."


	4. His Lady's Needs

"Remember," Nathalie said as she straightened Adrien's coat and fluffed his hair slightly. Marinette didn't need the help from the woman (nor the stylists, makeup artists nor wardrobe) to make herself presentable for the cameras. "Avoid words like disability. You're adjusting well and you'll be back to work and school come the new term. There's no reason for people to see you—treat you any differently—"

"Nathalie," Adrien cut in. "You're treating me differently." He brushed her hands away from his body. "I'll ask if I need help. Now just tell me if I look fine."

The woman was quiet for several moments as his words sunk in. "You just need your glasses, Adrien," she eventually said in a tone that was less than her usual clipped manor.

"I'm not wearing them," the blond replied swiftly.

"We decided—"

"You decided. I'm deciding not wearing them."

"People are expecting you to look the part."

"The part they'll see me look is me. I'm not changing myself for them. I've done enough of that for other people." They all knew who he meant.

"They're going to see the scars in your eyes, Adrien," Nathalie pointed out, her voice almost seemed concerned.

"I'm sure they'd ask to see anyway. I'm just cutting out extra time."

Nathalie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, pushing her own glasses up just a little. The woman turned on the blunette girl then.

"I know, Nathalie," Marinette said before she could get a word in. "Guide Adrien, field questions, don't speak unless spoken to."

"And don't stutter."

Marinette's façade quivered.

"Nathalie, you can't say that," Adrien said as he bumped Marinette's hand beside him, traced his fingers up her arm and rested his grasp on her inner elbow. Marinette was grateful for the comfort.

"Your father doesn't wish for you to be seen as or with weak people, Adrien."

"A stutter does not make you weak!" Adrien spat, letting rage take him. "Marinette is perfectly able to be understood and I see no reason why that should be of any concern. She's going on with me, stuttering or not. Come on, Mari."

Adrien tugged gently at Marinette's arm and the girl mumbled a polite farewell to Nathalie as she turned away and began to lead her friend away. They stood by the door that lead out into the conference room filled with reporters and photographers. Marinette peeked out the crack in the door and let out a tiny squeak, shooting back up to Adrien's side.

"Never done this before?" the blond teen asked with a light laugh.

"Nope," Marinette replied. "Never. Best I've done is that speech for class rep. And that was spur of the moment after an akuma attack so you can thank residual miraculous confidence for that," she whispered to him.

"You'll do fine, Mari. You don't even have to say anything. You just have to stand there and look pretty, which I believe you already know how to do quite well. Plus, you have that confidence with or without a certain little bug." Adrien said this, but he was sure he was the one who was more scared.

Marinette clutched Adrien's hand and squeezed as way of thanks, then they were being ushered onto the platform at the front of the room. Adrien set his model's smile upon his lips.

Flashes of bright lights filled Adrien's already clouded eyes with many dull bursts. The deafening noise of a hundred voices screaming questions at them made him disorientated and he stumbled slightly, suddenly not knowing up from down. If he hadn't been holding Marinette, his hand on her arm and her fingers delicately draped over his, then he may have turned tail and bolted in fear.

'Don't be so stupid, Agreste,' his mind taunted. 'You've done this a thousand times.'

With a mumbled word from Marinette and Adrien found the podium in front of him, microphone already set up and ready to go. He smiled at the audience and waited for them to quieten before launching into the speech that had been prepared for him. He broached many topics that had been on the minds of the public since his incident.

"Ladies and gentleman," he began in his strong, public speaking voice. "I'd like to start by assuring you all that I am alive." Some people in the room politely chuckled, though most were unnerved by Adrien's ghostly eyes as he blindly scanned the room as he had always done.

"Let's start at the beginning, shall we? That night several months ago I'd been out jogging. I never intended to get in the way of the akuma, I hadn't even noticed the danger. In hindsight I certainly should have been more alert."

The carefully crafted lie flowed seamlessly from Adrien's lips as he spoke to the room. He broached many topics that had been on the minds of the public since his incident.

"… I have spoken to Ladybug personally." Marinette's fingers twitched slightly by Adrien's hand. "And we've learnt from this that the Miraculous magic isn't as all powerful as expected. So she's asked me to put out a warning to the people of Paris, if there is an akuma attack please stay away. She and Chat Noir will defend out city however they can't do their work if they're rescuing citizens that put themselves in danger just to get a good seat for the action…"

"…will be returning to work within the next few months. My recovery is going exceedingly well and thanks to a team of talented surgeons and my father's funding, I will be looking my best once more very soon..."

"…this setback will certainly effect my career, but I won't let it get in the way of my future. You'll see me back up on the catwalk, I promise..."

"…school will not be a problem. With advances in technology, I will be able to attend the same classes as my schoolmates and participate as a mostly normal student."

"…I in no way blame Ladybug or Chat Noir for what happened to me…"

"…it's been a hard time learning to see the world so differently. But I am confident with the specialist team and my close friends," he set a hand on Marinette's shoulder, "that I have the best support network a young man could need and I will rise above this," Adrien finished with his award winning smile still in place. Now came the part he hoped, no he knew, Marinette was up to. She'd done it enough times while suited up so Adrien had all faith in her abilities now.

"Let's have some questions," he announced and the room erupted into a chaos of voices from nearly every direction. The blond reached out and held onto the podium tightly, still smiling for the audience.

Suddenly the room silenced, Adrien let a small breath out. His Lady hadn't failed him.

"Mr. Agreste. Now being disabled, how would that impact other models? Wouldn't that make you a liability to not only yourself but your co-workers?"

"I'll be getting back into work slowly. I'll begin with photo shoots and will be re-training on the catwalk. My father is working together with some of my support workers to make the work environment safe for both myself and my fellow models."

Voices filled his ears again and Adrien stiffened slightly. He'd never liked loud noises before. Now that feeling only seemed to have tripled.

"Adrien. What's your relationship with the young woman?"

"This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She's my classmate, good friend, and a very talented young designer. Marinette is helping me to get back into life again, making things as normal as possible."

"Just friends, you say?"

"Just friends," Adrien affirmed, cringing inwardly. "You'll see her, and my other friends, helping me out."

"Miss Dupain-Cheng! Did Mr. Agreste say you're a designer? Are you friends with him to get closer to his father?"

"N-n-no!" Marinette defended herself and she could almost feel Nathalie burrowing her face in her hands. "No. I'm here just for Adrien." The blond patted her shoulder gently.

Several invasive questions later, many making Marinette squirm and Adrien brushing them aside with the 'no comment' remark, and Adrien was being lead offstage by Marinette.

"I can't believe you do those all the time," Marinette leaned into Adrien and said gently. "I can't believe I do those all the time. It's so much different when wearing red."

"Why do you think I let you handle them most of the time? Black means I can get away without acting perfect," Adrien replied in a voice just as quiet.

"Adrien. Marinette." Nathalie's voice cut through their whispers and the commotion from behind them. "Let's go." Her clipping heels left them.

"Were her glasses pushed up or relaxed?"

"What?"

"Were her glasses pushed right up against her face," Adrien repeated. "Or kind of slipping down her nose?"

"Oh, ah. Slipping I think," Marinette replied and Adrien's kitten grin was back.

"She's proud of us," he told her. "Let's get going before she's not anymore."

"Behind you, duck!" Marinette squeaked out the order to Adrien. "Good, attack. No, I'm behind you, you dork!"

Adrien grunted and mashed at the buttons on his controller, trying very hard to get the right combo to annihilate Marinette's avatar.

"I'm above you, block!"

Adrien did as he was told, having played the game for many years and knowing the buttons by heart. Several weeks earlier in hospital, Marinette had brought in a game for Adrien at his request. They'd quickly discovered that their partnership worked well in more ways than just battles of the physical kind.

"Left."

His game character turned and charged as Adrien clicked a sequence of buttons resulting in the winning music playing.

"How?" Marinette hissed almost angrily. "You're blind!"

Adrien fist-pumped the air in triumph, her bitter words sealing his knowledge of the win. "Guess I had some good help," he chuckled and slapped her gently on the back.

"Well next time you won't be getting any help seeing as you're so good," the girl huffed. Tikki and Plagg were giggling from their cushion, surrounded by cookies and cheeses.

Adrien stilled at their noise. "Marinette?" he asked while the menu music played in the background. "I think we need to talk about things."

That was not a conversation starter she'd ever planned on hearing from Adrien. All her daydreams had been happily ever afters and three children and a long life together. Hell, they weren't even dating and he was pulling up this conversation! Marinette was quaking within.

"Yes… Adrien? Wh-what is it?"

"The door's closed, right? Locked?"

Oh. Maybe it wasn't about that.

There was a swish of air and a click. "Check!" Tikki called out and fluttered back to Plagg.

"We need to talk about what Ladybug is going to do, Mari."

"What do you mean? She's going to do what she always does."

"I mean now that Chat's out of action. She doesn't have anyone to watch her back."

"Adrien, I can do it," she tried to calm him. "Thank you for the concern but I can handle the akuma myself. Don't worry about it."

"Marinette, you're going to need help and I can't do that right now."

"You are not about to suggest—"

"He's right, Marinette," Tikki piped up.

"You need help! I don't want you to get hurt, Mari. They can seriously help."

"They? I thought we were just talking about Alya!"

Adrien frowned. "I couldn't tell her without telling my best friend, Marinette. I couldn't do that to Nino. Plus, I'm sure he'd be useful in some way to you."

"Yeah, as a friend," she pointed out. "Not as a hero. They don't even have Miraculous like we do."

"They don't need it. Alya has a wealth of information and so many ways to get news even before we do. She can keep on top of the attacks from a distance and help with communication and planning. Alya's a quick thinker and with her basically on the ground with you, hell she may even be a better partner than me."

"Don't say that," Marinette said gently.

"It's true and you know it."

"Doesn't mean I'm accepting this. I can deal with the akuma on my own, Kitty. Please. You don't have to worry about me."

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"Why are you?"

"Because I've seen you get hurt many times and it hurts me just as much to see it. If I can't be your shield, then I will find another way to send you into battle protected."

"I'll be fine—"

Marinette's phone sounded from her bag, cutting her off.

"Speaking of," the blunette said and stood. "Tikki, we've got a show to put on. Will you be okay for a while by yourself, Adrien?"

The other nodded sullenly. "Come back afterwards?"

"Of course."

Adrien's watch told him it was well past midnight when he heard the scuffing of soft, flat feet shuffle into his room via the window.

"Tikki!" he heard Plagg cry out in concern. "Let her out, give her to me!" What?

The gentle sound of bells and magic filled the room as Marinette whispered the detransformation charm, and two bodies crashed to the floor, both panting. Adrien pushed himself up from the couch where he'd been listening to a book, and made his way around the furniture.

"Marinette? Mari, are you okay? Where are you?"

"Left two," came the soft voice. "Forward four, maybe six."

Adrien followed her instructions and knelt where he stopped. He felt for Marinette in front of him. Fingers brushed over her skin, searching for injuries.

"I'm okay, Kitty Cat," Marinette assured him. "Just exhausted and a little bruised."

"A little?!" Plagg all but screamed. "You better hope there aren't any attacks for a few days because Tikki's not going anywhere!"

"What happened, Mari?" Adrien asked, very concerned that he didn't seem to be getting a straight answer, and helped the girl to sit up. She bit back groans.

"It was just a very strong akuma. That's all. It took a while to beat down."

Adrien wrapped his arms tightly around Marinette and pressed his face against her hair. His Lady. He couldn't help her, just as he'd known. And he'd let her go anyway!

"We need help," he whispered against her ear.

Marinette's answer was to hug him in return.


End file.
